Yeah buddy,

I think I've met some of the same fools you've met...with all their high tech/high dollar/glossy finish bike components that might as well be jewelry.

These guys are just like women who feel better about themselves if they can stroll around the mall with expensive designer clothes and big diamond jewelry.

They both have the same thing in common if they think they are better than you because of their "jewelry bikes"...low self esteem.

It doesn't matter what you ride, but how you ride it!!!!!

My 53-11 gears and leg press trained legs will blow away any of them away.....carbon fiber and campy record non-withstanding!!!

Cuz I train with Hanz and Franz!!!

There are snobs everywhere. It is a fact of life. How you deal with that fact is another thing. I have snobs all around me, in everything I do. It used to bug me. Now my attitude is a "don't give a damn" attitude, and I cycle on.

One thing experienced athletes possess is an inner confidence. They exude it, and it can be detected by others. A lack of such can also be felt by such persons. If you are new, a beginner, not confident, you project such.
When you are riding and keep telling yourself that you are a beginner, others around will feel the same about you. That's why you need to observe, practice a lot when you ride solo, and you will gain the confidence that only comes from time spent on the bike.
Then, when you feel like waving, you wave. It doesn't matter if they wave back; if they wave at you, you can wave, you can nod, or you can just look at them. You will know who you are, what you are capable of, have that inner calm, and that can't be taken away by someone else's reaction because it wasn't built on that.

228 reply's so there must be something to this. I still say the cycling community is small and somewhat elite as not everyone does/can do it. Thats why it bugs me to ride past an a-hole on a bike but as the above poster says,i'm working on it not bothering me but it wont stop me from a nod or smile. About time for this thread to die a happy death.

I guess I've been lucky...

In the land of BMW and Lexus (I live around the Carrollton/Plano area in Dallas) I have come accross the nicest people in my first 4 months of riding... can't say that about the people around here when driving around but that's another thread...

Like the other day... I'm riding my usual 20 mile route (I'm cycling on a budget and am in OK shape...), huffing and puffing against this mild head wind, when a cyclist calls out "on your left" and waves as he passes...Now, I was a little irked that I got passed and was just in awe of his really nice Cervelo. Soon after that he caught a red light and I caught up. We struck a conversation about random stuff and all was good.

I don't know, I guess I just had to share some positive experience...

/me deposits 2 cents...

I can get over the fact that some poseur has a real expensive bike if he can get over the fact that I am going to do my best to give him a good asskicking out on the road.

Had to jump in here with a question. I wonder what the snobs would like the rest of us to do? Would they think better of us if we just stayed home on the couch and became couch-potatoes? Or, should be spend a ton of money on bikes that we don't really have the experience for?

I was starting a ride a few weeks ago in a parking lot loaded with tons of roadies gearing up or cooling down. An older woman rode up to the car next to me. She was probably in her 60's, and didn't appear to be in great shape. She was riding something that I can only describe as a tricycle. She was sitting upright, with a big (as she called it) tractor seat, huge baskets up front and behind, and, of all things, a canopy top! She seemed to be very self-conscious of her ride, but I started to talk to her and she was a blast! Told me she shopped for months to get this and was so happy to be able to get outside. It was the only exercise her knees could handle. After talking a few minutes, her husband rode up on a road bike, in full gear. Would the snobs have had a field day with her? Don't know, but what's the point??? We had a great talk, she warned me about a hazard out on the path, and thinking about her had me smiling all day. Gotta love anyone who does anything it takes to get out there and RIDE! Isn't that what we all want?

I guess that's my point! What do you get from looking down at others?

Dude. I want a canopy! That would rule. Do you know how hot it gets in New Orleans sometimes?

I agree. Personally I don't care what you're riding. If you really think you're better than me because your bike costs more than mine - don't care because your penis is probably |-------this -------| big.

You could prolly take that little old lady's entire rig, install a rear seat in place of the basket and make some cash hauling people around New Orleans... have a bear cooler stashed someplace....the possibilities are endless…

that's the coolest thing i've ever heard of.

<ot> What's the proper refrigerated temperature for a bear, anyway? </ot>

Will i be a snob if i get a 05 Trek carbon?

Only if you keep it on the roof rack of your Lexus

<ot>Well, I just read that a hybernating black bear's body temeprature remains at about 88 degrees. So I'm guessing it would have to be below that. I'm doing more research.

Hamms can be regurgerated at 40F deg...if helps that.
It's Friday.

Amen Brother!!! I am with you,,, To think the so called cyclists that own a 2500 to 4000 bike probably bought with MOMMYS money can look down at someone with less urks me too...

Here's my 2 cents. Last weekend I tried to squeeze in a short ride before an afternoon wedding. About 5 miles into the ride, I get a flat. The first roadie stopped and asked if I needed help or a tube. Told him I have a spare and thanked him. Sure enough, I had a pinch in the spare when installing it and blew it out. There was no car access to where I was so I had to walk 2 miles to have my wife pick me up. On several separate occassions as I walked, roadies went by me from the opposite direction. As usual, I wave at other cyclist. Although they all made eye contact with me, none of them waved back much less offered a spare tube. Quite sad really. At the end of the 2 miles, the first roadie returned and asked how far I had to walk and asked if I needed him to come back with a car.

Moral of the story...a$$Os out-number nice people.

I got a flat a few weeks ago along a common cycling roadway, and I was practically getting bombarded with friendly offers for help. Cyclists are so conditioned to be friendly and offer assistance. I think the anomalies stand out more. The occasional non-friendly cyclists stands out a LOT more than the non-friendly driver or pedestrian.

Then on another occasion, someone else got a flat, and a few of us justwere standing in close to proximity to her. We had already offered help, she didn't need it. A few other cyclists rode by us, and assuming we were with her, said, "sorrry guys, we've already done our good deed for the day." As though presuming we wanted their magnanimous help. At first that might sound rude...but on the other hand, is it? I mean, if they are out on their ride, already stopped and donated supplies, time, and effort to someone, in a heavily cycling-traveled road, then I'd think that's OK.

Never use them. I ride to where i'm riding.

My sentiments exactly. Why does anyone even care if another cyclist waves or farts or whatever....?

I guess some of us just give a dam,sorry.

I care about the farting. I also tell my friends that if they see me make a waving motion near my butt as I move over to the right side to not follow me lest they want a nice faceful of methane.

ROFL - I read 10 pages of endless argument to get to this gem at the end.

I agree on the snobbery thing, I used to ride a Ducati, but have sold that and got into cycling. I found motorcyclists to be much less judgemental over what bike you rode, rather all would appreciate a great bike, or a classic, and pay compliments. Most would aknowledge each other on the road, and at meeting points & clubs, most would treat others as equal, regardless of job or bike etc. I have found cyclists tend to be dismissive of those that don't meet their standards.
That doesn't mean that it applies to everyone, just that there seem to be more in the cycling world.

AJ the newbie, burning up NZ roads on his shiny Cannondale.

Hubby and I rode the MS150 this weekend, and, being in Arkansas (where per capita, we have the largest concentration of both millionaires and poverty) "yuppies" as we call them, are in great concentration. Hubby and I ride up on our $1200 bikes to about 150 riders on a mixture of road bikes. A While we're riding, lots of people were talking to us and chattering because we were in the gear and friendly. However, at dinner, things changed. Class really shows when you're in street clothes. The same people who were friendly enough on the road, wouldn't talk to us at dinner. Hmmmm, what's up with that?

Were you unwashed? Did you smell??? Were you wearing hemp sandals and Grateful Dead tee-shirts????